Adjustable last



Jan. 5-, 1932. c. MILLER ET AL- .ADJUSTABLE LAST Filed Sept. 28, 1929 a 6 g a 3 4 IIIIIMMW I, H I I H 4 #w m a, a v 1 M 3 1 u w 5 Th. 5 V 9 v M a M INVENTORS names MILLER m BY MAX FEINSTEIN 2 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1932 stars CHAR-LES MILLER, or LONG rsLAND CITY, Am) MAX 'FEINSTEIN,' on CORONA, j A

. NEW YORK I ADJUSTABLE LAST Application filed September 28, 1929. Serial No. 395,870.

This invention relates to the art of shoe manufacture and deals more specifically wit an adjustable last.

In the art of shoe manufacture it is required that a large number of lasts be kept on hand in order to meet the requirements of factory production. The cost of maintaining such a large number of lasts adds materially to overhead charges; Due to the 1e fact that a pair of lasts of a certain sizeare necessary in order to manufacture a pair of shoes of a certain given size, it is necessary to keep on hand a large number of pairs ofdifferent sizes of lasts. It will be seen, therefore, that if there is provided a last which may be used for more than one size, the necessary cost of lasts will be considerably diminished.

Also, in the manufacture of turn shoes two pairs of lasts are now necessary in connection with the production of a single pair of shoes; one pair of lasts being used for the first lasting operation, and a second pair of lasts, slightly larger in size, beingused in the relasting operation.

'lt'is therefore an object of this invention to provide a last which is adjustable to two or more sizes.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable last which is relatively cheap to construct and easy to manipulate.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to produce an adjustable last which is provided with an efiicient mechanical movement whereby the use of such adjustable last will not impede or hinder the usual operations in shoe manufacture.

The manner in which the present invention is carried out will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of said device, the forward portion of the last being broken away; and

'Fig. 3 is' a detailed longitudinal sectional view of the actuating mechanism embodied in the present invention. x 1

Referring'in detail to the drawings, the v:

last-1O is seen to comprise a forward or toe section 11 and a rearward or heel section 12. Dowel pins 13 (one only being shown in the drawings) are fixed to the rear section 12 and arranged for sliding engagement with the holes let formed in the forward section 11. The holes 14 are positioned with respect to the dowel pins 13 to insure proper alignment between the sections 11 and 12 of the last 10. A metallic band 15 is fixed to one of the sections of the last such as, for exam- ,ple', sect-ion 12, the band being shaped to conformaccurately to the contour of the last at theportions thereof embraced by said band. The portion15a of the band 15 embraces the section 12 and is fixed thereto. The portion 15?) of the band 15 embraces the forward section 11 of the last in slidingen- .gagement therewith in order to permit relative movement'between the sections 11, and

12. The band 15 serves to maintainthe sec- -tions 11 and 12 in properalignment and in this respect it cooperates with the dowel pins 13 and 14. It will be. understood, of course,

that the width of the band 15 will depend for the most part upon the extent of adjustability required in the last, it merely being necessary that the band be sufficiently wide to bridge the space between the sections 11 and 12 when they are in their most widely spaced position corresponding to the largest size for. which the last is adjusted. In actual practice it has been found that satisfactory results may be obtained by lasts adjustable to produce a size variation of A or of a size.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 2 and 3, the mechanism for spacing the sections 11 and 12 will now be described in detail. This ,mechanism 20 comprises a bolt 21 having a head 22 which is designed to facilitate the turning of bolt 21. A shoulder 23 is provided ,Fig. 2 is fixed to diametrically opposite sides Embracing the shank of the bolt 21 and the" collars 26 and 30 is a cylindrical member split longitudinally thereof into sections 41 and 42. The split springs 43 encircle the cylindrical section 41 and 42 and hold the same in associated relationship as shown in Figs.

- 2'and 3. The contiguous faces of the sections 41 and 42 are recessed at 44 asshown in Fig. 2 to embrace the wedge members 27 and 32 whereby to permit said members to come between the sections when they are in closest relationship with respect to each other. An oval-shaped collar 50 provided with screw 51 servesto hold the entire actuating mechanism in fixed relationship to one of the sections 0 the last 10.

The operation of the device is as follows: With the adjacent edges of the last sections 11 and 12 in abutting relationship, the last is adjusted to its smallest size. Under these conditions the wedge members 27 and 32 are disposed within the recesses 44 formed in the cylindrical member 40. Now, if it is desired to increase the size of the last, the bolt 1s rotated through the head 22 thus causing the collar 30 to approach the collar 26. During this operation the wedge members 27 and'32 are made to approach each other thus causing them to enter between the sections 41 and 42 whereby to spread the'same against the tension of the springs 43. The spreading of the sections 41and 42 serves to separate the sections 11 and 12 with which they are in abutting contact by an amountequal to the dis tance by which sections 41 and 42 are separated. WVhen it is desired to return the last to its smallest size it is merely'ne'cessary torotate the head 22 of the bolt 21 in the reverse direction, thus causing the wedge members 27 and 32 to return to the recessed portions 44 whereupon by tapping the sections 11 and 12 together the last assumes its original size.

Many changes in the present disclosure will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention. 'It is therefore to be understood that the scope of this invention is not limited by the details of structure herein disclosed, except as outlined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our inventlon, we claim:

1. An adjustable last comprising a forward section, a rearward section, means internally of said sections to maintain the same in alignment, means to vary the position of said sections relatively to each other, and a band secured to and surrounding one of said sections and embracing the other section to hold said sections together while permitting adjustment thereof.

2. An adjustable last comprising a forward section, a rearward section, means internally of said sections to maintain the same in alignment, means fixed to and surround ing one of said sections and embracing the other of said sections in sliding engagement therewith to hold said sections together and to maintain said sections in alignment, and means to vary the position of said sections relatively to each other.

3. An adjustable last comprising a forward section, a rearward section, means internally of said sections to maintain the same in alignment, means fixed to one of said sections and embracing the other of said sections and in sliding engagement therewith to hold said sections together and to maintain said sections in alignment, said last mentioned means surrounding and conforming substantially to the outer contour of the last at the portions thereof embraced thereby, and means to vary the position of said sections relatively to each other.

4. An adjustable last comprising a first section, a second section movable relatively thereto, a split cylinder mounted between said sections, one portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with one of said sections and another portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with the other of said sections, and means to vary the said portions relatively to each other, whereby to adjust the size of the last, and means holding said sections together and permitting adjust ment thereof.

5. An adjustable last comprising a first section, a second section movable relatively thereto, a split cylinder mounted between said sections, one portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with one of said sect-ions and another portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with the other of said sections, a wedge member, means to adjust the position of said wedge between said portions, whereby to adjust the size of the last and means holding said sections together and perios mitting adjustment thereof.

6. An adjustable last comprising a first section, a second section movable relatively thereto, a split cylinder mounted between said sections, one portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with one of said sections and means holding said sections together and permitting adjustment thereof.

7 An adjustable last comprising a first section, a second section movable relatively thereto, a split cylinder mounted between said sections, one portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with one of said sections and another portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with the other of said sections, two wedge members, said portions of said cylinder being recessed to receive said wedge members therebetween, means to adjust the position of said wedges between said portions, whereby to adjust the size of the last, and means holding saidsections to. gether and permitting adjustment thereof.

8. An adjustable last comprising a first section, a second section movable relatively thereto, a split cylinder mounted between said sections, one portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with one of said sections and another portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with the other of said sections, two wedge members, means to adjust the position of said wedges between said portions, whereby to adjust the size of the last, spring means mounted between said wedge members, and means holding said sections together and permitting adjustment thereof.

9. An adjustable last comprising a first section, a second section movable relatively thereto, a split cylinder mounted between said sections, one portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with one of said sections and another portion of said cylinder being adapted to contact with the other of said sections, yielding means surrounding saidportions, means to vary said portions relatively to each other, whereby to adjust the size of the last, and means holding said sections together and permitting adjustment thereof.

10. In an adjustable last having relatively movable sections and means to hold said sections together in said relatively movable relation, means to adjust said sections relatively to each other, said means comprising a threaded bolt, a first collar loosely supported on said bolt, a second collar mounted on said bolt in threaded engagement therewith, wedge members mounted on said collars, a split cylinder, embracing said bolt, said wedge members lying between the split portions of said cylinder, and means loosely embracing said cylinder.

11. In an adjustable last having relatively movable sections and means to hold said sections together in said relatively movable relation, means to adjust said sections relatively to each other, said means comprising a threaded bolt, a first collar loosely supported on said bolt, a second collar mounted on said bolt in threaded engagement therewith, wedge members mounted on said collars, spring means disposd between said collars, a split cylinder embracing said bolt, said wedge members lying between the split portions of said cylinder, and means loosely embracing said cylinder.

12. In an adjustable last having relatively movable sections and means to hold said sections together in said relatively movable relation, means to adjust said sections relatively to each other, said means comprising a threaded bolt, a first collar loosely supported on said bolt, a second collar mounted on said bolt in threaded engagement therewith, wedge members mounted on said collars, a split cyllnder embracing said bolt, said wedge members lying between the split portionsof said cylinder, said split portions being recessed to receive said wedge member, and means loosely embracing said cylinder.

CHARLES MILLER.

MAX FEINSTEIN. 

